As a result of environmental factors such as wind strength, clouds and similar factors, non-centralized, renewable sources of power can provide energy irregularly and unpredictably. Due to the increasing use of these sources of energy, the mismatch between the quantity of electrical energy generated and the quantity of electrical energy consumed is becoming noticeably greater. In the past, electrical energy was generated by power stations in a quantity according to reasonably reliable predictions about the consumption behavior of industry and households. In the future, it is estimated that up to 30% of electrical energy can be generated without any synchronization to demand.
The production of electrical energy that is not synchronized with consumption can be accepted by the power station or network operators in accordance with statutory regulations, and fed into the power network.
Because the price of electrical power reflects the availability of electrical energy in the energy network, as a result of the over-supply, electrical energy, for example, can be made available at certain times free of charge. For example, if wind power stations generate a large quantity of electrical energy on a Sunday, this may not meet with an adequate demand from industrial consumers, who are the largest users of electrical energy. Thus, there may not be an opportunity for industry to benefit from the exploitation of economical electrical energy. Alternatively, adequate demand can arise primarily in countries where the use of renewably generated electrical energy can be mandatory, even when the supply of electrical energy does not meet with a corresponding demand.
For example, individual process steps in production plants have been carried out in predetermined time windows or continuously, whereby the sequence and the scheduling of individual process steps can be optimized from the point of view of production passage time or throughput.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method and apparatus for preparing a production flow schedule whereby a production plant can be operated with better exploitation of excess electrical energy.